The Mystery of the Druids
Encyclopedia
The Mystery of the Druids is a single-player adventure
video game developed by House of Tales Entertainment and published by cdv Software Entertainment. The game was released on September 14, 2001 for Microsoft Windows
.
The story takes place in Britain, where Detective Brent Halligan, an inspector at Scotland Yard
, investigates a brutal series of murders committed in England
. The investigation leads Detective Halligan into a mystery surrounding the demise of the British Order of Druids and eventually takes him on a trip through time itself.
over various objects on the screen and clicking them to add them to the inventory or gain information about them. Puzzles are often inventory based and usually solved by combining items, after which the player must figure out how the item is used. Many actions in the game require the completion of such puzzles, such as using a telephone.
Interaction with non-player characters
is accomplished through dialog trees, most of which is "entirely expository
". These conversations with non-player characters are essential to playing the game, as many of the major plot points are revealed through conversation rather than through investigating the environment.
The second half of the game is mainly set in England circa 1000 AD, where Detective Brent Halligan and Dr. Melanie Turner attempt to stop a ritual which could enslave humanity. The finale is set in the year 2000 AD. at Stonehenge, where the Circle is attempting to complete the Final Ritual.
in 1000 AD, where all but a few of the druids are enveloped in a supernatural glow before being consumed by fire.
1000 years later in the year 2000, at New Scotland Yard in London
, Detective Brent Halligan has been assigned to investigate a series of brutal murders known as the "Skeleton Murders". Assisting him with his investigation is Dr. Melanie Turner, an anthropologist at the Oxford
Anthropological Museum, who, along with historian Arthur Blake, discovers that the murders match the description of cannibalistic
sacrificial rites performed by Britannic druids. It is later revealed that a demonic superior druid seized power over the druids in order to force mankind to submit to his rule by performing a "final ritual", which would transfer the knowledge and power of the druids to five infants known as the "Inheritors". The ritual was not entirely completed, but the Inheritors are strong and powerful enough to complete the ritual themselves.
While investigating a lead regarding a group of neo-Druids called "The Circle", Halligan is captured and held prisoner by their leader, Lord Sinclair. Halligan escapes, but discovers The Circle performing a human sacrifice and faints. Halligan awakens at dinner and, unbeknownst to him, is eating human flesh which grants strength and power, but also makes them susceptible to brainwashing.
Turner is led to Lord Sinclair's estate through information which Halligan had left at her museum, after which she is able to sneak in to the property. She finds an artifact, the Amulet of Transformation, which may be required to complete the Final Ritual. Halligan discovers her and a fight ensues before she is able to knock him unconscious. As he awakens, he discovers that he was brainwashed. He discerns Sinclair's plan, which is to put a curse on the world in order to enslave humanity.
Blake is killed by Sinclair, but he points them in the direction of the Twelve Bridges ruins. Once there, Halligan and Turner are sent back in time
. Halligan stumbles on the site of the ritual and attempts to disrupt it, but is interrupted by the demonic druid Serstan, who holds Turner hostage. A staff that Halligan had found is bartered for Turner's life and a promise, on his honor, not to harm Halligan or Turner. Serstan agrees and begins the ritual, whereupon Halligan and Turner are transported back to their own time.
Halligan and Turner rush to Stonehenge where The Circle is attempting to complete the final ritual. Halligan stabs Turner with scissors and informs Serstan that the vow has been broken, causing Serstan to intervene and cause the Circle to disappear and preventing the ritual from being completed. Turner is near death, but Halligan is able to save her using magical mistletoe
, after which they share a kiss.
on July 12, 2000. It was developer House of Tales' first release. The Mystery of the Druids was advertised as containing "50 detailed locations", "360 interactive scenes" and "20 speaking characters". It also blended "2D and 3D graphics, including character models with up to 1000 polygons."
A playable game demo
was released on May 25, 2001 which featured game-play up to the Anthropology Museum in Oxford. A second game demo was released later that year on September 25, which included the time travel scene to prevent the ancient ritual which resulted in the creation of the Inheritors.
The first trailer was released on August 14, 2001 and featured game-play videos of Detective Halligan. A second trailer was released on August 30 which showcased the various locations of the game, as well as the druidic ritual which is seen at the beginning of the game. The third and final trailer was released on September 6, 2001. This trailer introduced the romance between Detective Halligan and Dr. Melanie Turner as it progresses throughout the game.
proclaimed it "poorly designed, ugly, and rife with bugs." Computer and Video Games
derided its "unimaginative settings and painful dialogue" as well as its inclusion of "some of the most ridiculously complex puzzle sequences to achieve even the simplest of tasks" before deciding that it has "very little appeal for anyone but the most patient and geeky PC-head." GameSpot
described its characters as "rude", its puzzles and dialogue branches as "confusing", and the game overall as "surprisingly devoid of plot." GameSpy
described it as being a game that might make customers "take matters into their own hands and put the [adventure game] genre out of its misery". IGN
described its repetitive game-play as being "[stretched] out considerably (and not in a good Tantric kind of way, mind you)", stating "if you go back knowing what to do, you could beat the game in half a day."
Game Over Online was more positive, saying it "provides everything an adventure needs to provide -- no more and no less -- and is therefore worthwhile to play for that reason." They praised The Mystery of the Druids for its graphics and background locations, especially those of "some places, like Halligan’s office" while noting that developer House of Tales "made other locations look just a little bit too regular and symmetrical to feel real."
Adventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
video game developed by House of Tales Entertainment and published by cdv Software Entertainment. The game was released on September 14, 2001 for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
.
The story takes place in Britain, where Detective Brent Halligan, an inspector at Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
, investigates a brutal series of murders committed in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The investigation leads Detective Halligan into a mystery surrounding the demise of the British Order of Druids and eventually takes him on a trip through time itself.
Gameplay
A large portion of the game-play in The Mystery of the Druids consists of discovering clues and solving puzzles. Clues are mainly found by moving the computer mouseMouse (computing)
In computing, a mouse is a pointing device that functions by detecting two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse consists of an object held under one of the user's hands, with one or more buttons...
over various objects on the screen and clicking them to add them to the inventory or gain information about them. Puzzles are often inventory based and usually solved by combining items, after which the player must figure out how the item is used. Many actions in the game require the completion of such puzzles, such as using a telephone.
Interaction with non-player characters
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
is accomplished through dialog trees, most of which is "entirely expository
Exposition (literary technique)
At the beginning of a narrative, the exposition is the author's providing of some background information to the audience about the plot, characters' histories, setting, and theme. Exposition is considered one of four rhetorical modes of discourse, along with argumentation, description, and narration...
". These conversations with non-player characters are essential to playing the game, as many of the major plot points are revealed through conversation rather than through investigating the environment.
Setting
The Mystery of the Druids is set in England and France, where a series of brutal killings known as the "Skeleton Murders" have been taking place. This has caused panic and placed Scotland Yard under heavy scrutiny.The second half of the game is mainly set in England circa 1000 AD, where Detective Brent Halligan and Dr. Melanie Turner attempt to stop a ritual which could enslave humanity. The finale is set in the year 2000 AD. at Stonehenge, where the Circle is attempting to complete the Final Ritual.
Characters
- Detective Brent Halligan (Roger A. Graves) - Described as "pretty much a loser, disrespected by peers and shunned by the fairer sex", Detective Brent Halligan is "sort of the odd man out in the agency." Halligan often does "idiotic" things during his investigation—such as placing a highly sought after artifact in a ferry cabin, where it is immediately stolen.
- Dr. Melanie Turner (Emily Clarke) - An anthropologist at the OxfordOxfordThe city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
Anthropological Museum, Dr. Melanie Turner is Halligan's main ally throughout the game. Brief parts of the game are played from her perspective. In the final act, she becomes a love interest for Halligan. - Arthur Blake (West Westbrook) - An historian and prolific author, Arthur Blake is an expert in the study of ancient Britannic cults, especially druids. Blake sheds on light on multiple mysteries throughout the story, such as the Amulet of Transformation, the Final Ritual and the druidic cult itself.
- Lord Sinclair (Clifford Wels) - One of the Inheritors who gained the powers of all druids living at the time, Lord Sinclair's main goal is to finish the Final Ritual so that he and his Circle can enslave humanity.
Plot
The Mystery of the Druids begins with a dark ceremony at StonehengeStonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
in 1000 AD, where all but a few of the druids are enveloped in a supernatural glow before being consumed by fire.
1000 years later in the year 2000, at New Scotland Yard in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Detective Brent Halligan has been assigned to investigate a series of brutal murders known as the "Skeleton Murders". Assisting him with his investigation is Dr. Melanie Turner, an anthropologist at the Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
Anthropological Museum, who, along with historian Arthur Blake, discovers that the murders match the description of cannibalistic
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
sacrificial rites performed by Britannic druids. It is later revealed that a demonic superior druid seized power over the druids in order to force mankind to submit to his rule by performing a "final ritual", which would transfer the knowledge and power of the druids to five infants known as the "Inheritors". The ritual was not entirely completed, but the Inheritors are strong and powerful enough to complete the ritual themselves.
While investigating a lead regarding a group of neo-Druids called "The Circle", Halligan is captured and held prisoner by their leader, Lord Sinclair. Halligan escapes, but discovers The Circle performing a human sacrifice and faints. Halligan awakens at dinner and, unbeknownst to him, is eating human flesh which grants strength and power, but also makes them susceptible to brainwashing.
Turner is led to Lord Sinclair's estate through information which Halligan had left at her museum, after which she is able to sneak in to the property. She finds an artifact, the Amulet of Transformation, which may be required to complete the Final Ritual. Halligan discovers her and a fight ensues before she is able to knock him unconscious. As he awakens, he discovers that he was brainwashed. He discerns Sinclair's plan, which is to put a curse on the world in order to enslave humanity.
Blake is killed by Sinclair, but he points them in the direction of the Twelve Bridges ruins. Once there, Halligan and Turner are sent back in time
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
. Halligan stumbles on the site of the ritual and attempts to disrupt it, but is interrupted by the demonic druid Serstan, who holds Turner hostage. A staff that Halligan had found is bartered for Turner's life and a promise, on his honor, not to harm Halligan or Turner. Serstan agrees and begins the ritual, whereupon Halligan and Turner are transported back to their own time.
Halligan and Turner rush to Stonehenge where The Circle is attempting to complete the final ritual. Halligan stabs Turner with scissors and informs Serstan that the vow has been broken, causing Serstan to intervene and cause the Circle to disappear and preventing the ritual from being completed. Turner is near death, but Halligan is able to save her using magical mistletoe
Mistletoe
Mistletoe is the common name for obligate hemi-parasitic plants in several families in the order Santalales. The plants in question grow attached to and within the branches of a tree or shrub.-Mistletoe in the genus Viscum:...
, after which they share a kiss.
Alternate Ending
If Dr. Turner is noticed while trying to rescue Detective Halligan, Lord Sinclair's security will capture her. She is brought inside, where a brainwashed Halligan, who does not seem to recognize her, informs her that she will be the guest of honor for their dinner. A few days later, the skeleton of Turner is found in a forest near London. Halligan is listed as missing and last seen leaving his Scotland Yard department.Development
cdv Software Entertainment revealed The Mystery of the Druids, then titled The Heirs of the Druids, to IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
on July 12, 2000. It was developer House of Tales' first release. The Mystery of the Druids was advertised as containing "50 detailed locations", "360 interactive scenes" and "20 speaking characters". It also blended "2D and 3D graphics, including character models with up to 1000 polygons."
A playable game demo
Game demo
A game demo is a freely distributed demonstration or preview of an upcoming or recently released video game. Demos are typically released by the game's publisher to help consumers get a feel of the game before deciding whether to buy the full version....
was released on May 25, 2001 which featured game-play up to the Anthropology Museum in Oxford. A second game demo was released later that year on September 25, which included the time travel scene to prevent the ancient ritual which resulted in the creation of the Inheritors.
The first trailer was released on August 14, 2001 and featured game-play videos of Detective Halligan. A second trailer was released on August 30 which showcased the various locations of the game, as well as the druidic ritual which is seen at the beginning of the game. The third and final trailer was released on September 6, 2001. This trailer introduced the romance between Detective Halligan and Dr. Melanie Turner as it progresses throughout the game.
Reception
The Mystery of the Druids received mostly negative reviews. Brett Todd of Computer Games MagazineComputer Games Magazine
Computer Games Magazine was a computer gaming print magazine. It was formerly Computer Games Strategy Plus, and before that, Strategy Plus, which had been founded as Games International in the UK in 1988. While its initial focus was on strategy games, it covered a wide range of game genres...
proclaimed it "poorly designed, ugly, and rife with bugs." Computer and Video Games
Computer and video games
A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display device, but following popularization of the term "video game", it now implies any type of...
derided its "unimaginative settings and painful dialogue" as well as its inclusion of "some of the most ridiculously complex puzzle sequences to achieve even the simplest of tasks" before deciding that it has "very little appeal for anyone but the most patient and geeky PC-head." GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
described its characters as "rude", its puzzles and dialogue branches as "confusing", and the game overall as "surprisingly devoid of plot." GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
described it as being a game that might make customers "take matters into their own hands and put the [adventure game] genre out of its misery". IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
described its repetitive game-play as being "[stretched] out considerably (and not in a good Tantric kind of way, mind you)", stating "if you go back knowing what to do, you could beat the game in half a day."
Game Over Online was more positive, saying it "provides everything an adventure needs to provide -- no more and no less -- and is therefore worthwhile to play for that reason." They praised The Mystery of the Druids for its graphics and background locations, especially those of "some places, like Halligan’s office" while noting that developer House of Tales "made other locations look just a little bit too regular and symmetrical to feel real."